Sheffield MP Meg Munn visited two projects last week ahead of the launch of Paying the Price, the government strategy for tackling prostitution in the UK.

Meg, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women and Equality, visited SWWOP (Sheffield Working Women’s Opportunities Project) and the Sexual Equality Service where she met parents of some of the young women who have used the service.

Meg said:

“The Paying the Price strategy has been influenced by consultation with those affected by prostitution and makes clear that prostitution is not acceptable - it is a form of abuse. In the majority of cases it is young people who are being exploited and the strategy aims to tackle and prosecute those who are abusing vulnerable people in this way.”

SWWOP supports women in Sheffield and helping them with housing, health/sexual health, information about benefits, drug treatments and protection from violence. SWWOP offers a regular and trustworthy service with priority for the women’s health and safety, and the employees and volunteers of SWWOP have worked extensively to gain the confidence of the women they work with.

The Sexual Exploitation Service is a multi agency project designed to explore ways of engaging with young people to assist. It aims to encourage them to leave, or prevent them from becoming involved in, commercial sexual exploitation.